Idah Turuq al-Istiqama fi Bayan Ahkam al-Wilaya wal-Imama
- Author died
- 909 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Nawādir
Idah Turuq al-Istiqama fi Bayan Ahkam al-Wilaya wal-Imama (Arabic: إيضاح طرق الاستقامة في بيان أحكام الولاية والإمامة, lit. 'Clarification of the Paths of Rectitude in Explaining the Rulings of Governance and Leadership') is a treatise on Islamic political theory and public governance by the Damascene Hanbali scholar Ibn al-Mubarrad (Yusuf ibn Hasan ibn Abd al-Hadi, 841–909 AH / 1437–1503 CE) .
Title and Background
The work falls within the classical genre of Islamic administrative and constitutional law (al-ahkam al-sultaniyya), following the tradition established by works such as those of Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi and Abu Ya'la al-Farra' . Ibn al-Mubarrad composed the book to address the nature of the caliphate, leadership, and public offices, outlining how authority is contracted, its prerequisites, and both the virtuous and corrupt practices associated with governance .
On the cover of the author's autograph manuscript, the title appears as Idah Turuq al-Istiqama fi Bayan Ahkam al-Wilaya wal-Imama, whereas within the author's preface to the text, he designated it as Idah Turuq al-Salamah fi Bayan Ahkam al-Wilaya wal-Imama .
Structure and Contents
The book is structured into ten thematic chapters (abwab):
- Chapter One: On the designations and titles of rulers and governors (musammayat al-hukkam wal-wulah) and related matters .
- Chapter Two: On the conditions required for rulers and judges, and who is eligible to hold office .
- Chapter Three: On the virtue of holding authority and its spiritual reward for those who act justly and virtuously .
- Chapter Four: On the fear of exercising power, and the grave sin of oppression and injustice (al-jawr wal-zulm) .
- Chapter Five: On the obligatory duties incumbent upon leaders and what is not binding upon them .
- Chapter Six: On the rights of rulers, the obedience due to them, who must be obeyed, and when obedience is not obligatory .
- Chapter Seven: On unjust rulers foretold by the Prophet ﷺ, and reports concerning the prevalence of tyranny .
- Chapter Eight: On the legal status of the public funds and lands of Muslims, including what rulers are permitted and forbidden to take or consume from them .
- Chapter Nine: On historical figures who sought or aspired to public office, and those who detested power and fled from it .
- Chapter Ten: An overview of rulers, kings, their regnal chronologies, and tenures, tracing historical leadership from the era of the Prophet ﷺ down to the author's own time .
Manuscripts and Publication
The work is preserved in a manuscript written in the author's own hand at the Zahiriyya Library in Damascus . It was published in a critical edition by Dar al-Nawadir in 1432 AH / 2011 CE, prepared by a team of editors under the supervision of Nur al-Din Talib as the fifth volume in a collected edition of Ibn al-Mubarrad's works .
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